While spring may not have quite decided if it’s here to stay, the Friends of North Andover Trails are still out and about enjoying beautiful North Andover. This Sunday, April 12, they are doing a guided walk at Ward Reservation. If you have a tailor’s bunion it may seem impossible to do a hike comfortably. Knowing how to treat a bunion or bunionette is important to living a happy, healthy life.
A tailor’s bunion, also known as a bunionette, is a bump that forms on the side of the little toe. It’s the little sister of the larger bunion, which grows on the side of the great toe. The main reason for this is either foot biomechanics or heredity. If your parents had a bunionette then you are more likely to develop one as well. However, there are other factors that can play a role.
Wearing shoes that don’t fit can be hard on your feet. They creates an environment where your toes don’t have any room to move around, which causes them to press in on each other, which makes the joint bend outwardly. Once the bump forms, it’s impossible to get rid of without surgery. Thankfully, there are ways to ease your pain and discomfort.
Of course the first thing you should do is take a look at your shoes. Tight, pointy shoes that cramp your toes are not the type you should be wearing. It’s better to wear shoes that have a roomy toe box because they will more comfortably fit this deformity.
To protect your toe you can wear a padded covering. If your toe is red and inflamed, you can also try icing your foot to help reduce the swelling. If these conservative methods don’t work, you can try corticosteroid injections to help treat the inflamed tissue. In severe cases where nothing else is working, you can always consider surgery to remove the bunionette.
For more information on treating a bunionette, call Dr. Mitchell Wachtel at (978) 794-8406 and schedule an appointment in one of our three Massachusetts offices: Haverhill, Lowell, or North Andover